RAIDS ON ULSTER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15746, 10 February 1922, Page 3

RAIDS ON ULSTER.

ONE HUNDRED LOYALISTS

CAPTURED

EXCITEMENT IN THE NORTH

APPEAL FOR HELP

lElec- Tel. Copyright— Unites Press Assn 1 (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Feb. 8.

Organised attacks on leading Unionists at Tyrone and Fermanagh were carried out over a wide area this morning. Air. Mon tray, Grand Master dll the Tyrone Orangemen, was kidnapped while in his house. Air. Carson, ex-Sheriff of Fermanagh, was also attacked, but eventually Air. Carson was wounded and carried off.

Armed bands attacked the residences of Mr. Cooper, an Ulster Commoner, and prominent residents of Inniskillen. The residents returned t lie fire, and the police arrived and: captured 11 raiders and three motor cars laden with rifles, revolvers, and bombs Another motor car was held up near Inniskillen and an occupant found wounded. Arost of the captured men came from Longford. One was wearing the Republican Army uniform. Mobile platoons are scouring the country hunting for the raiders. Tlie kidnapped loyalists total nearly 100. The Tyrone outrages were of a particularly determined character. Strong bodies operated over widely separated areas. Oho was directed against Mr. Montray, Grand Master of tlie Tyrone Orangemen, who is 80 years of age. He put up a stout resistance, though practically unaided and was desperately wounded before captured. At least 14 prominent Ulstermen were kidnapped here. The police are scouring tlie district, but their hands are tied because they are not allowed to cross the border into Monarghan. During the night bands of young men in motor cars kidnapped a number of Ulstermen, including Sir J. Booth. It is reported that those captured in Sligo have since been released. The Daily Chronicle urges that it cannot be supposed that Air. Griffith and Air. CVfflins approve the raids. It is evident that local units have got beyond control. They have committed a crime against the unity of Ireland. The South can never conquer Ulster by force. The Daily Express says that it- cannot be expected that Ulster will take this lying down. Tho dread of the spectre of civil war may well re-appear. The Republican army handed over Tlalinan’s mills to tlie owners. During tlie employees’ control £700.000 worth of gooffs were sold, wherefor the owners are claiming an indemnity from the Provisional Government. Ulster is in a state of excitement over tho raids, which extended for 40 miles. As all telegraph wires had been previously cut, tlie raiders'were able, to carry out their operations without interference. For a long time there were the gravest fears in Ulster of reprisals on a wholesale scale.

The affrays commenced by a large party of well armed Republicans crossing from Monaghan with the purpose of seizing Ulster specials as a reprisal for the arrest at Dromoro, several weeks ago, of 11 members of the Monaghan Gaelic football team going to play a match. The fighting commenced when a band of Republicans met a tender containing Ulster specials, who were called upon to halt. They did so, but opened fire, which was returned, a. special being wounded. Cooper and his friend Elliott put up a most vigorous fight and put the raiders to flight. Their pluck was the chief cause of the police capturing 11 of the raiders. Sir Joslyn Booth, 4 who was captured, is father of Madame Markievicz, the Sinn Feiner, though himself a. Unionist. There were similar raids in Donegal, where the Sinn Feiners kidnapped Major Miles Holder, M.C. When the Ulster specials heard of the outrages, they sent motor car lorries in all directions to cut oil 1 the raiders as they returned across the frontier. A party of six men at Relcoe, Fermanagh, pluckily stopped four motor cars filled with armed men, who fired on the police. The latter returned the fire, badly wounding a raider. Farmers in Clogher Valley are arming and mobilising to protect their lives and property. A telegram states that a large number of farmers and their sons in Cloghen have already been carried off. STATEMENT IN COMMONS: Australian and N.Z Cable Association. LONDON, Feb, 9. Mr. Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, read the following message from the Ulster Government: “Large bands crossed the frontiers of Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh and occupied the liousbs of leading citizens on the Ulster side of the boundary. Numerous leading citizens, including the high sheriff, who was wounded or kidnapped, were taken across the border to the South. The captures include 20 Ulster special constables. The raiders blew up bridges. The Ulster police captured 11 raiders, armed with bombs and revolvers, who have been identified ns members of the Republican army.” Mr. Chamberlain said that directly ho received the message Cabinet met and decided to telegraph Mr. Collins and the general commanding the troops in Ireland. The telegram to Mr. Collins read: “Herewith is a telegram received from the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. If anything approximating this has happened, His Majesty’s Government will take the gravest view of the situation. Such acts are a breach of the truce, and will gravely imperil the treaty. I will be glad to hear immediately you are taking steps to ensure the release of piffsoucrs and provide against a recurrence of these grave outrages.” The telegram to the Commander-in - Chief read : “You will, of course, give the Northern Government all necessary aid in defence of the northern boundary, and won’t hesitate to ask for reinforcements if necessary. We have called on the Provisional Government to release prisoners, and the troops in Northern Ireland will act in support of the civil authority in defence of the existing frontier until a new one is established, whenever the Government of Northern Ireland requests assistance.” Mr. Chamberlain added that lie could not usefully add to the statement until the Government's information was mor* complete. “One reason,” he said, “is that we want a Rill giving legal authority to the Provisional Government, so that I,ho Government may control disorderly elements, economic or political, within its own boundaries. It is a matter of urgency that the Rill >'» passed in order that the Government have authority to punish cases where the law is broken. The raiders shot and wounded Mr. Doonon, a Unionist registration agent At Inniskillen eight special constables were kidnapped; at Lisnaker three police; at Rosier, a number were more jr less seriously wounded Reports regarding the numbe/ kidnapped are confusing. Some allege that as many as 100 disappeared. COLLINS’ EXPLANATION OF OUTBREAK. LONDON, Feb. 9. In the House of Commons, Mr. Churchill said the Government had received a telegram from Mr. Collins in reply to the Government’s message. Mr. Collins replied : “The outbreak was not due to tile question of the boundary dispute, but to the anxiety and apprehension regarding the fate of Derry prisoners under sentence of death.” Mr. Collins said that lie had made special efforts to prevent these acts of violence, although lie was not aware of the act of clemency regarding the prisoners. Mr. Churchill added that the Provisional Government had assured them that it was doing everything it possibly could to ensure the safety of those captured and their early release. Mr. Churchill did not pretend that this was a satisfactory incident. The House would make a great mistake ifj

it supposed, within the next few months, they would have nothing but unsatisfactory incidents to discuss.

DEBATE BY THE LORDS

LONDON, February 8.

Lord Londonderry moved an amendment in the House of Lords regretting that, tho Government had not given Ulster an assurance that her area would be maintained. Whatever was agreed regarding the Free State, Ulster was determined to resist encroachment. A situation would arise indistinguishable from civil war.

Lord Carson said the joy bells over the Irish settlement had stopped ringing. Raids had brought us face to face with tlie realities of the situation. Invasion meant that the Government had laid down that way to get what they wanted in Ireland.

Lord Birkenhead reproved Lord Carson’s tone as unlikely to assist towards the desired settlement. Lord Birkenhead said that he was unable to believe the raiders were under the orders of the Provisional Government. If some of the seventy thousand Republcan troops got out of hand it was regrettable and serious, hut not surprising.

Lord Grey approved the settlement, but difficulties arose because Sinn Fein did not trust the Government and Ulster felt itself betrayed. “Personally,” lie said, “I think Ulster has been badly treated. The Government has kept .its promise to the letter, hut has broken it in spirit.” lie urged the Government to clear up ‘the ambiguity in the treaty. Lord Londonderry’s amendment was negatived by 46 votes to 09, and the address agreed to.

ULSTER. DEFENDING HER BOEDER,

HEARTBREAKING ACTS OF FOLLY

(Australian anil N.Z. Cable Association (Received February 10, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, February 9.

Ulster is concentrating a lai’ge force of police on the southern frontier, where five thousand already are posted. Dublin reports state that the most prominent Nationalist journalists denounce the raids as indefensible, though they condemn tlie belated announcement that the Deny prison murderers have been reprieved. The Irish Times says tho shootings and seizures in Fermangh and the kidnapping in Sligo arc heartbreaking acts of folly and wickedness. The Provincial Govern, ment must try to appreciate Ulsteris feelings of anger and resentment, and Sir .las. Craig must make every possible allowance for the Provincial Government’s difficulties. It worked hard in many directions but has not yet been able to establish real authority. It has not had time to replace British machinery of the law with effective machinery of its own.